"But never mind, when we have the _Americanos_ at our mercy we will be the ones who eat, and they will starve," was how Vasco consoled himself.
Dinner over, the travelers took their places in the auto, and, with Jerry at the wheel, the passage of the river was begun. Following the course Ned had tried, the machine was taken safely over the stream, and run up the opposite bank. No sooner had it got on solid ground, however, than, with a loud noise, one of the rear tires burst.
"Here's trouble!" exclaimed Ned, as Jerry brought the car to a sudden stop.
"Might have been worse," commented Bob. "It might have blown out while we were in the water, and that would have been no joke."
"Right you are, Chunky," said Jerry. "Well, I suppose we may as well camp here for a spell; at least until the repairs are made."
He set to work to put in a new tube, Ned and Bob assisting him, while the professor wandered off after any stray specimens that might exist. He found several insects that he said were rare ones.
The fixing of the tire proved a harder job than Jerry had anticipated. It was several hours before it was repaired to suit him, and by then the sun was getting low.
"What do you say that we camp here for the night?" proposed Ned. "We can't get on much farther anyhow, and this is a nice place. It's more open than in the forest."
This was voted a good plan, so a fire was made and a camp staked out. From their side of the river Vasco and his companions viewed these preparations with satisfaction.
"They cannot escape us now," said the leader of the Mexicans. "We can easily cross the river after dark and get close to them. I wish Noddy would hurry up."
At that instant there was the sound of wheels in the road, to the left of which Vasco and his men were concealed. In a little while Noddy, with Dalsett, Berry and Pender, rode up in the machine.
Vasco pointed through the screen of bushes to the other side of the bank, where the professor and boys were encamped.
"Good!" exclaimed Nixon. "We'll pay them a visit to-night."
All unconscious of the nearness of their foes, the Cresville boys, having had a good supper, sat talking about the camp-fire. The professor was engaged in sorting over the specimens he had gathered during the day.